Saturday, October 25th, 2014 || 10am-4pm Book Passage-Corte Madera|| 51 Tamal Vista Dr. Corte Madera || www.bookpassage.com Character-driven—it’s one way to ensure that your writing is compelling. But how do you create characters that captivate a reader? Digging up all you’ll need to know to create characters that jump from the page can be as complicated as a covert operation. So let’s put on our best sleuthing attire and gather the info on our protagonists, antagonists, confidantes, love interests and assorted supporting characters. This workshop includes plenty of in-class exercises and amusing tips on craft. A careful investigation will also reveal that you can receive Dominican College credit for this workshop. The workshop will be held on Saturday, October 25, from 10am-4pm at Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera, CA, 94925. Sign up here. Poet, travel writer, novelist and Left Coast Writers® founder Linda Watanabe McFerrin (www.lwmcferrin.com) is a contributor to numerous newspapers, magazines and anthologies. She is the author of two poetry collections, past editor of a popular Northern California guidebook and a winner of the Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction. Her novel, Namako: Sea Cucumber, was named Best Book for the Teen-Age by the New York

LEFT COAST WRITERS LITERARY SALON: Laurie King, Author of the Mary Russell series of Mystery Novels Monday, November 3rd, 2014 || 7pm Book Passage-Corte Madera|| 51 Tamal Vista Dr. Corte Madera || www.bookpassage.com We have a thrilling evening in store for you at this post Day of the Dead salon as mystery writer Laurie King joins us and sheds a little light on the craft of telling a dark detective tale. Laurie R. King is the New York Times bestselling author of 22 novels and other works, including the Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes stories (from The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, named one of the 20th century’s best crime novels by the IMBA, to 2014’s Dreaming Spies). She has won or been nominated for an alphabet of prizes from Agatha to Wolfe, been chosen as guest of honor at several crime conventions, and is probably the only writer to have both an Edgar and an honorary doctorate in theology. She was inducted into the Baker Street Irregulars in 2010, as “The Red Circle”. She is also the author of The Bones of Paris, a thriller in which readers are lead into the vibrant and sensual Paris of the Jazz Age—and are shown the darkest secrets of its denizens.

Third Monday of the Month for 12 months – 6:30-8:30 pm For the whole year: Only $200 / $150 for Left Coast Writers® members $40 Drop-in fee Finally, the writing group everyone has been asking for … and it’s only around $10 a month for Left Coast Writers® members! Get in on the latest Left Coast Writers® literary adventure: The Left Coast Writers® Monthly Writers Group. Bring your work and your imagination as well as humor, honesty, and attention to an evening of sharing recent writings, discussion on craft, and fabulous literary prompts. Either author/instructors Linda Watanabe McFerrin or Joanna Biggar will be on hand to contribute editorial direction and orchestrate sessions. This is a chance to get feedback on your work and hone your skills in a stimulating, supportive, and highly professional environment. This workshop is designed to help writers across genres get their creative juices flowing and to hone and polish their craft. Each workshop will focus on a particular writing skill, for example: vivid writing through evoking the senses, structuring a piece from opening to close, the all-important nutgraph, finding a voice, “making it sing.” Each class will include using a prompt, followed by in-class writing time, followed by a discussion of the participants’ work. These sessions will be tailored to the aims and goals of the students once we know better what they are. Bring paper, pens, laptop and bring your imagination. Left Coast Writers® are well known for their books, essays, articles and blogs, so you will be in super company. The group will meet the third Monday of every month at Book Passage in Corte Madera. Don’t miss out. Call them up (415 927 0960) and sign up before the doors close on this one! Upcoming Workshops: Mon., Mar. 19 – 6:30-8:30 pm Mon., Apr. 16 – 6:30-8:30 pm